


Switching Roles

by Demon_Apostle



Category: One Piece
Genre: Character Death, Gen, Switching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-29
Updated: 2013-05-29
Packaged: 2017-12-13 09:08:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/822542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Demon_Apostle/pseuds/Demon_Apostle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if the roles were switched? What if the one who died lived and the one who lived died? What if…?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Switching Roles

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece. I did this just for the hell of it and I was bored.

The battle had been going on fiercely and showed no signs of slowing down. People were dying left and right, each either being a pirate or part of Marineford. Blood splattered onto the pavement every time a cut was made or steel pierced flesh. No one was giving up.

Especially not Luffy. He had planned to save his brother and would do anything to reach that goal. He would knock down anyone who got in his path towards Ace and he had been doing just that. It was only when he finally got to Ace that everything went wrong.

With the help of Mr. 3 he was able to unlock Ace’s chains but it didn’t end there. They still had to reach the ship and go through many marines to get to it. However, the one who stopped them was Akainu.  He had coaxed Ace into fighting him thanks to his insults on Whitebeard. Ace and Akainu became locked in battle as Luffy watched.

Luffy, seeing that Ace was struggling went to help but found he was too weak to do so. His legs could no longer support his weight and he nearly collapsed but that didn’t stop him. Luffy, ignoring Jimbei’s orders, went to help Ace who was about to be killed. Luffy had to stop Akainu and fast. Just as Akainu was done speaking and about to deliver the final blow to Ace, Luffy managed to jump in front of his brother and become a shield.

Everything had stopped. Noise, breathing, thought, movement, everything. Even the fights that had been going on paused to look upon what had happened. Ace sat there, staring at a scene he never imagined would happen but here he was, a front row seat to what lay before him.

Even rubber couldn’t withstand molten lava. Luffy had been struck through the chest by Akainu’s fist. His shirt began to burn as the lava dripped onto the fabric. Luffy, who had been holding in screams of pain, coughed up blood which landed in droplets on the ground. Akainu pulled his fist back and allowed Luffy’s body to fall backwards. Ace reacted in time to catch his brother’s body.

Now in a fit of rage, Jimbei attacked Akainu diverting his attention from the brothers. The fights began again but Ace didn’t pay attention to anything that was going on around him. His heart was beating faster than it had been before and his body trembled violently. His hands shook as they gripped onto Luffy’s body which was going cold fast. Tears stained the corners of Ace’s eyes as he stared down at his brother who was slowly dying in his arms.

“Why? Why did you do it?” Ace allowed the tears to cascade down his cheeks, each drop landing on Luffy’s own cheek. His voice was shaky but he didn’t care. Luffy smiled at Ace, a genuine smile that Ace had never seen directed at him before and when it was, Luffy was always the one to give it to him. Luffy spoke his voice raspy and filled with pain.

“I had… to stop him. If I didn’t… then you… would be dead. I promised… that I would… save you.” Tears also threatened to escape Luffy’s eyes as he realized that he was close to dying and might never see his friends again. His crew would have to find another captain and his brother would have to go on living without him.

Ace yelled for a doctor and one soon came, inspecting Luffy’s wounds and seeing what he could do. His face turned to horror and he looked away. Ace asked him again and again to help his brother but Luffy stopped him.

“There’s nothing he can do Ace. It’s too late.” Tears were now falling down Luffy’s cheeks as well. He wouldn’t be alive much longer so the least he could do was leave Ace with his parting words.

“Ace… I’m sorry. I was supposed... to save you but-“

“Don’t speak! You need to conserve your energy! You’ll pull through this!” Luffy smiled but shook his head.

“I won’t. You know there’s no way... I’m going to survive Ace.” Fresh tears cascaded down Ace’s cheeks as Luffy continued.

“You need... to listen to me Ace. You need to tell everyone that... I’m sorry for dying on them. I wasn’t able to find One Piece with them. I’m also sorry that... I’m going to leave you alone Ace. But don’t worry. You’ll have the Whitebeard pirates.” Luffy tried to smile as best he could but he was growing tired fast. He brought a hand up wipe away the tears that were spilling from Ace’s eyes. Ace, not wanting to lose the feeling of his brother’s touch, held Luffy’s hand there with his own. Luffy’s eyes began to droop as he felt his energy depleting.

Finally, Luffy’s eyes closed. His breathing stopped and his hand went limp against Ace’s cheek. Ace looked upon his now dead brother and felt the tears fall again. He lowered his head so his forehead rested on Luffy’s own and cried. His brother had just died in his arms and there was nothing he could do to stop it.


End file.
